W.R. Berkley commercial auto insurance

Our take

W.R. Berkley has specialty coverage options, including garage liability, motor truck cargo and excess auto liability protection, and it offers coverage for large fleets.

Online quotes aren't available, and policy options and customer service will vary by the issuing subsidiary.

Understanding commercial auto insurance

Commercial auto insurance covers claims involving company-owned vehicles, including cars, trucks and vans. Depending on the policy, it pays for injuries and damages to people and property, including your employees, passengers and business-owned vehicles. A personal insurance policy, on the other hand, won’t cover claims that happen while the vehicle is operating for business purposes. 

A basic policy includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability, which pay for damage you or your drivers cause to others during an accident. Each state has different required liability limits, and your policy should have at least the limits required by state law. Consider higher limits for better protection.

Businesses can also sign on for additional coverage, such as comprehensive and collision insurance. Comprehensive covers damage to your vehicles from non-collision events, such as theft and natural disasters. Collision covers damage from impacts with other vehicles or objects. More details about your policy options follow.

Berkley commercial auto insurance coverage

Berkley sells commercial auto insurance through its subsidiaries, including Berkley Southeast Insurance Group, Berkley Technology Underwriters and Berkley Entertainment.

There are five areas that most Berkley commercial auto insurance policies cover.

• Liability: This pays for injuries to others as well as damage to other cars or property when your driver is at fault for the accident.
• Collision: This pays to repair or replace your vehicle if it strikes another object, overturns, rolls or is in a collision with another vehicle where your driver is at fault for the accident.
• Comprehensive: This pays to repair or replace the vehicle if it is damaged by something other than collision, such as vandalism, fire or storm damage. 
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): This helps pay for damage and injuries associated with an accident that wasn’t your fault when the other party doesn’t have insurance or lacks sufficient coverage to pay for the loss. 
• Medical payments: This protects your driver and passengers and helps pay for injuries they incur in an at-fault accident.

In addition to these basic coverages, Berkley’s subsidiaries also offer specialty coverages, including garage liability insurance, garage keepers’ legal liability insurance, motor truck cargo insurance, trailer interchange insurance, leasing contingent auto liability insurance and several others. 

Types of commercial vehicles Berkley insures

Berkley covers a wide range of vehicles, including:

• Business autos: This category includes all cars, light trucks, SUVs and vans. 
• Trucks: Berkley covers a variety of trucks, including dump trucks, construction vehicles, and tractor trailers.
• Trailers: This category includes pickup truck utility trailers, dump body trailers and tractor trailers. 

Berkley commercial auto insurance benefits

Berkley offers specialty insurance coverages for 55 industries, which makes it a good option for businesses looking for industry-specific solutions. 

In addition, depending on the subsidiary, the company offers online claims reporting.

How Berkley stacks up against other commercial auto insurance companies

Berkley is the ninth-largest commercial auto insurance company by market share, controlling just over 2% of the market, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the standard-setting and regulatory support organization overseen by the country’s top insurance regulators. Its closest competitors are State Farm, with a 2.8% market share, and The Hartford, which has a 2% market share.

A major criterion for judging insurance companies is the NAIC’s complaint index.

The NAIC’s complaint index is based on the number of complaints filed against the company with state insurance regulators compared to that company’s market share. A score of 1.0 means it received a number of complaints proportionate to its market share, while a score higher than 1.0 means it received a higher-than-expected number of complaints for its market share. 

In 2024, Berkley’s NAIC complaint index for all insurance lines was 0.11, which means it has far fewer complaints than expected for its size. 

Another consideration when selecting an insurer is its financial stability. After all, you want your insurance company to be on a strong financial footing should you even need to file a claim. 

AM Best, a ratings agency that measures financial strength, gives Berkley an A+, indicating that the company is in a superior position to meet its financial obligations. 

How does Berkley commercial auto insurance pricing compare with the competition?

Berkley doesn’t publish its commercial auto insurance rates online. However, the cost of commercial car insurance coverage depends on several factors, such as location, coverage options, vehicle, driving history and the business you're in.

According to Insureon, a small-business insurance agency, the average cost of commercial auto insurance is about $147 per month, or $1,764 per year.

To see how Berkley’s commercial auto insurance prices compare to its competitors, you’ll need to get a personalized rate quote.

Tips to save on Berkley commercial auto insurance 

Berkley doesn’t mention any commercial auto insurance discounts on its website. However, there might be ways to reduce your premium. Here are some ways to potentially save money on your commercial auto insurance policy.

• Bundling discount: Many insurers provide a discount for bundling commercial auto insurance with another policy, like general liability insurance or commercial property insurance.
• Paid-in-full discount: You can sometimes earn a small discount if you pay your annual premium upfront and in full at the start of the policy period. 
• Good driver discount: If your employees have clean driving records with no recent accidents or violations, Berkley might give you a discount on your commercial auto insurance premium.

“If you’re hoping to save money on your existing commercial car insurance policy, don’t let your policy renew at the current rate. Instead, spend some time shopping around and comparing new quotes from different companies to see if you can find a more affordable premium,” says Belen Tokarski, president and chief operating officer of Mylo, an independent insurance broker.

How to buy Berkley commercial vehicle insurance

To purchase commercial car insurance from Berkley, you’ll need to find a subsidiary that issues policies for your industry. Then, you can call the underwriter and request a quote.

Before you talk to an agent or company representative, you’ll want to have all pertinent information available to ensure that the quote is accurate. You’ll need the year, make, model and VIN for all vehicles. You’ll also need employees' driver's license numbers so the agent can properly rate the drivers. 

Also, consider what coverage you want. You can choose to get a liability-only policy to meet state-minimum requirements; however, this will not protect the vehicle if you are at fault for an accident. Talk to the representative about deductible options to help you save money while getting the protection you want. 

Once the representative has all the information, they’ll provide you with a quote for approval. From there, you just need to pay the initial premium to start the policy. 

Bottom line: Why go with Berkley for commercial auto insurance?

Berkley offers specialty insurance coverages for 55 industries, which makes it a good option for businesses looking for custom solutions. Additionally, Berkley receives fewer complaints than expected and is financially stable. However, Berkley’s commercial auto insurance policies are underwritten by subsidiaries, so the exact coverage, cost and customer experience may vary.

What our expert says

Q: Any tips on how to save on commercial auto insurance?

Belen Tokarski President and COO of independent insurance broker Mylo.

"If you’re hoping to save money on your existing commercial car insurance policy, don’t let your policy renew at the current rate. Instead, spend some time shopping around and comparing new quotes from different companies to see if you can find a more affordable premium."